Page 27 of Amore
My relationship with Candace already had problems, ones that I never wanted to address because being in a relationship with her was easy and convenient. But I didn’t have the same feelings for her as she did me, and if we weren’t partners, I would have called it off already.
“It’s fine, Franks,” I reiterated.
“Okay.” She called Amore to follow her into the house.
Once the door was closed behind her, I grabbed my phone, took a deep breath, and hit the button to call Candace.
She answered on the second ring. “Are you calling to explain?” she clipped.
“Why are you angry?”
“Because you were holding hands with another woman, Luke!”
“We—”
“And you didn’t tell me you knew Frankie Borelli or that she was the one you were going to have coffee with.”
“I told you I was having coffee with my friend from high school.” I sat in the chair I was sitting in before and leaned against the back.
“But you didn’t say it was Frankie Borelli!”
I closed my eyes and sighed. “Why? Would it have mattered?”
She didn’t say anything for a few moments. “You know what? You’re right. It wouldn’t have mattered because even if you had told me, I wouldn’t have expected you to be cheating on me.”
My brow furrowed, and I hissed, “I’m not cheating on you.”
“You were holding her hand.”
“I wasn’t holding her hand,” I half lied. “It was a moment. For fuck’s sake, Candace. If I was cheating on you, do you think I would have been the one to send you the link with the picture?”
She was silent again. “Then what was it?”
“It was a hand brush because we were best friends for four years, and we hadn’t seen each other in almost a decade. We were excited to reconnect.”
“And where are you now? Are you with her?”
“Yes, but it’s not what you think.”
“Well, explain it then.”
I sighed again and told her about the notification Frankie received at the coffee shop and how we raced to her house and everything else that followed. “And then she talked to my sister on my phone; it’s why I couldn’t call you sooner. While they were talking, I researched some things to keep her safe. We’re going to have dinner, and then I’ll sleep on her couch—”
“Sleep on her couch? You’re staying the night?”
“I can’t leave her alone, Candace.”
“Surely she has someone else to stay with her.”
“Since we don’t know who broke in, I’m not willing to take that chance.”
Neither of us said anything for a few moments, and then Candace said, “I guess I’ll let you go.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“Hey.” I stopped her from hanging up. “Do you trust me?”
